The Lone Who?
by WastelandScribe
Summary: FO3 parallel story. Just days before Vault 101 opened, a survivor escaped the gas-filled depths of Vault 106. With his mind clearing from the drugs, he was faced with the unthinkable; he had to go back in. Somewhere in the dark chambers below, his family was trapped. He was going to have to wade through his now crazed fellow vault dwellers to reach them. He needed a plan.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Reviewed and proofread the first few chapters at the bequest of a reviewer; (thanks BTW). I made punctuation, grammatical, and clarity changes to improve the story's readability. Hopefully it will be an easier read now. Also, I noted the cover art is a little too dark. I'll see if I can upload a brighter image. The metrics show that in the first week, nearly 100 people found the story. Thanks to all who checked it out!

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**Chapter 1**

In the dark depths of Vault 106, silent figures drift past the faint glow from the door access panels. The eerie sounds of shuffling feet and dripping water echo from dark passageways. The survivors of the experiment exist in a nightmare underground ruin, amid an acrid smell of extinguished fires and rotting corpses. It is a not unlike the Friday night horror movie once shown in the media room. The gas left the Vault dwellers little more than automatons, with vague memories that now play out before their eyes. The gas that surrounds them, has reduced their existence to scavenging for what containers of food and water remain while enduring fits of narcotic-induced paranoia.

In the cafeteria, William is eating with family and friends. It doesn't occur to him that the scene is repeating over and over in his head. In reality, he is in a dark and littered room of overturned shelves, crouching among the desiccated remains of the experiment's victims.

William savors the smell of the colorful food on his tray, as he listens to his sister Bethany tell a favorite funny story. A smile spreads across his grimy face, and his laugh echoes in the empty room, as he scoops another finger full of meal type-3 out of a bent tin can. Bethany's story continues but something catches his attention. He turns to look at the entrance way and sees Mr. Benson wave, as he pushes a broom past the door. William waves back, but in the darkness, the figure shuffles past, his dull eyes unaware; his hand still clutching the blood-dried pipe.

William turns back to Bethany, and sees her waving goodbye. She is talking in slow-motion, but he can't hear what she is saying; then she is gone. He blinks as the people in the room disappear and the scene turns blue. He is alone, and he feels his heart begin to race, as the hairs rise on the back of his neck. A cold sweat prickles his skin, and a chill runs up his spine. The can clatters to the floor, as he grabs a knife near his feet and flattens his back to the wall. Something is out there! It's here to kill him. It must have killed the others; where are they? William's thoughts shift to Bethany and his Mom. He has to get to them before the killer does; he has to save them. William looks out into the hallway, but it's empty. He starts making his way towards their quarters; sneaking his way through the twisting halls. He's sure at each corner, he will come face-to-face with the killer. He thinks, "Where is Security? Shouldn't they be here by now?"

William rounds a corner, and just ahead, there is a flash of movement; it was Bethany! He tried to call out, but dared not alert the killer. He knew his mother must be leading Bethany to safety, and he ran to catch up. William raced through the hallways and stairwells, always just as Bethany darted around another corner, glancing back at him. His heart was pounding and he kept looking over his shoulder, expecting to see the killer closing behind them at any second. He pressed the hatch door switches as he passed, to slow the killer. They were heading towards the sealed security room door, he knew they would be trapped. He risked calling to them, but they didn't hear him. As he rounded the last corner approaching the computer rooms, he saw to his amazement that Bethany and his mom were running through the open doors and he stopped. The doors had always been sealed; the corridors beyond were off limits, and led to the outer world. His stomach turned, the paranoia tore at his brain, and urged him to go back to the safety of the lower levels. William started to turn, then tears filled his eyes. One thought surged past the effects of the drugs; _he must save his family_. With his father gone, their safety was his responsibility. Love pushed past the fear, and he turned and ran after them, closing the security room doors behind him.

The moment of indecision had cost him; he couldn't see them now. He ran through the empty corridor to a mechanical room. William thought he heard the doors opening behind him. He ran through a ventilation room, and in it was an opened pressure door. He ran through the door and into another mechanical room with the vault blast door, and he saw it was open. He pushed the switch for the pressure door and ran to the blast door control console. Ahead was his only chance; in the distance was a wooden doorway at the end of the tunnel. Surely beyond it was the outside world, where his mother and sister waited. He ran his hands over the control panel, as his eyes searched the labels. Then he saw it; one switch was labeled "Engage/Disengage." He pressed it; a klaxon sounded, and a yellow caution light turned, casting beams of revolving light around the room. Escaping air pressure hissed in the blast door room. Then a loud grinding sound accompanied the jerking motion of the blast door edging into place. William took one last look at the still sealed pressure door, and ran down the tunnel towards the wooden gate. He could hear the wind howling through the wooden slats before the blast door sealed behind him. William grasped the wooden door and stepped out into the world. He stood there a second, the dark sky loomed over him, making him feel exposed and naked. He wondered why his family wasn't there with him. He looked at the dust on the ground but couldn't tell if there were any footprints.

Then the blue world around him began to flash between blue and black. He covered his face as a sharp pain stabbed through his head, and his brain began to throb. He fell to his knees and wretched in uncontrollable spasms.

In the back of his mind he knew he couldn't stay there. He began to claw his way up a ravine, crawling from place to place, stopping as the nausea overcame him. The flashing stopped and he glimpsed the dark world around him. It was cold; lights twinkled in the sky, and everything was cast in the dim-shadow of an overhead moon. He thought, "It's like the movies."

He made it to the top of the ravine and looked down into the surrounding flats. There were buildings and fires far off in the distance. The nausea was easing, but his head was mud; he couldn't think clearly. He staggered to his feet and headed off towards the fires. Sights and sounds blended together as a blur in his mind. Twice, some primitive part of his brain locked onto the fires to correct his course, but now he was close to passing out, and he wandered blindly away from his goal. He could hear voices and staggered towards them. The voices sounded strange and slow, and then he collapsed.

More blurry images passed before his eyes; a dark figure looming overhead...the ground sliding past as he was dragged...a campfire drawing near, and finally two forms in the flickering light of a camp fire as he was dropped face first into the dirt.

William heard himself ask, "Mom?" He heard deep, cruel laughter, and then he passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

William was jostled awake as he was bodily lifted from the ground. He opened his eyes and looked into the face of a monster. A heavy voice said, "No, not that one, it has sickness. Take the old one." William was dropped to his side in the dust, and he could feel his hands and feet were bound. The pounding steps of the monster moved towards an old couple in front of him. The hulking figure snatched up the old man as the woman cried out in sobs. William looked into the faces of the two people remaining; their eyes were wide in horror. Behind him he could hear a knife grinding on a rock, a whimper, and then a sickening sound of crushing bone. He squeezed his eyes closed, and tried not to listen to the wet sounds of the fiendish scene taking place behind him. He heard something smack into the fire and start to sizzle. He tried to concentrate on other sounds, to take his mind off of the smell of cooking flesh drifting past. The wind didn't sound like in the movies. There was no rustling of leaves, no birds chirping, or streams gurgling. There were only two sounds; the wind whistling through the dead branches and barren rocks, and the sound of his heartbeat in his ears.

His mind now clear of the gas, images of the chaos of the vault returned to William. People were running through the vault saying something about security in gas masks, and something in the vents. Then flashbacks ripped through his mind of the battles that ensued. He remembered people tearing at each other, fighting, and dying. He vaguely remembered escaping the killer in the vault, pulling his hands away and looking at them; _was that blood?_ He couldn't tell, he was covered in grime. What about his mother and Bethany? He had looked at the dust near the door; he saw his tracks, but no others. Had he imagined them ahead of him? Were they still inside?

He forced his eyes open and tried to assess his situation. The dark sky was beginning to brighten; he focused on the people before him in the firelight. Two were still there, but he didn't know them. They were dressed differently, but not in vault jumpsuits. The older woman was dressed in little more than rags and bound like him. The younger one was wearing boots, cargo pants, and a tee-shirt, and she was in a cage. The old woman had collapsed in sobs near him, but the younger woman was staring deep into his eyes. Her eyes didn't have the look of terror now, but of urgency. She kept shifting her gaze between him and the old woman's hair. William looked at the sobbing woman. Her hair was short and grey. It seemed unremarkable. _Why was she looking at her hair?_ Then he saw it; one bobby pin was holding her hair back on one side. William looked at the woman in the cage. She nodded yes.

William rustled his way over to the old woman and put his head on hers, as she sobbed inconsolably. The sounds of eating continued behind him uninterrupted. He opened his mouth and gripped the bobby pin with his teeth and slid it free. He looked into the eyes of the caged woman, as he positioned the hair pin in his mouth. She looked beyond him, then quickly nodded her head. William spat the pin towards her, and faked a cough. The sounds behind him stopped for a moment, and he held his breath; then the eating continued.

The woman in the cage slid her fingers between the bars, and retrieved the bobby pin. She leaned back against the cage with her arms now behind her. Her movements were barely perceivable, then there was a small click, and a smile spread across the woman's face.

William wondered what was to happen next. He believed the woman had unlocked the cage, but she stayed there. She slid the bobby pin into her hair, and glanced over at the monsters, as if nothing had happened.

The monsters stirred, and begin to organize themselves, extinguishing the fire.

"Get them ready to move. There will be more at German Town to take to birthplace." Said one of the monsters.

One of the monsters untied the old woman's feet, then his own, but it kept their hands tied. Just as it picked up the old woman to secure her to a rope, the young woman rolled out of the cage and started running. William looked at the old woman but she looked sadly at him, and dropped to the ground.

One of the monsters yelled, "It gets away!"

William jumped up, and ran in the opposite direction, as the monsters grabbed weapons. William could hear them running back and forth, confused as to who to chase, then one said, "Leave old one! Get tied one!"

There was no sense in looking back; William knew he was the tied one. He heard a shot whiz past his ear, and he ran to his left, towards the cover of a gulley. He slid down the slope, just as a bullet smashed into the dust and rocks above him. He began racing through the wash. When it branched, he headed left again. He tried not to kick up too much dust, as he scrambled up the embankment. What he saw next stopped him cold. Overlooking the ridge ahead was a giant animal; it looked massive and muscular. It had claws and teeth, and was half-covered with bristling hair. William could hear the monsters calling to each other, and asking, "Hello? Where are you?"

William backed away from the animal before it saw him. He slid his bound hands under his legs and pulled them clear. Then he started tugging at the knot with his teeth. It reeked of the monsters nauseous smell. He heard one of the monsters say, "It's not here. Look other way."

He was trapped, if he stepped out, either the animal or the monsters would see him. There was nowhere to hide in the gulley, and it only contained rocks, too small for weapons. Then he picked up the bonds that had tied him, and looked in the direction of the animal. He picked up a rock, tied the stinking rag around it, and threw the bundle over the ridge, between the animal and the monsters. He heard it smack into a rock, and then he heard a grunt. William kept still, scanning the ridge of the gulley wondering which way to go, then he heard yells, a roar, and the rifle again.

William scrambled to the top of the ridge and looked back, as one of the monsters dropped under the animals attack. The other backed away, wildly swinging a sledgehammer.

His plan worked, but he didn't wait to see the outcome; William scrambled over the ridge, and headed back towards the campsite. When he got there, he found the old woman sobbing beside the old man's clothes.

"We have to go, it might come back!" William said, but she didn't seem to care. He untied her hands, shoved the clothes into her arms, and dragged her stumbling, in the direction the woman had gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

William had to stop often to let the old woman rest. She wasn't crying now, but she stared blankly ahead as he guided her along. She appeared to be in shock. William began to talk to her. Asking questions didn't get any reply, so he told her about himself. He told her, how he had escaped vault 106, and that he needed to rescue his mom and sister, if they were still in the vault.

They had walked a long way, and finally, the old woman said, "Agatha...my name is Agatha."

William stopped and looked at her.

"His name was Albert." She said, holding out the bloody clothes, as her lips trembled. "He was my husband."

Tears welled up in her eyes and William hugged her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save Albert. Please forgive me Agatha."

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." She said. "We only needed a little longer to see the end together."

"He kept you safe as long as he could."

Agatha shook her head in agreement, and stepped back to look at Albert's clothes.

"Can we bury him?" She asked, her eyes imploring him

"Yes," he said, as they looked around them. "let's find a nice place."

"There," said Agatha. "that old tree."

William looked at the tree. It barely qualified as a tree. It was twisted, ancient, most of the branches were broken, and it had no bark left.

"That looks perfect." Said William.

Agatha took William's hand, and they walked to the base of the tree, where they dug a small cradle of earth away from between the roots. William gently took the folded clothes, and placed them in the resting place.

"Seems right." Said Agatha, as she looked up at the twisted gain of the grave marker. "This old tree has seen a lot, just like Albert and I. He doesn't have to be alone now, and I can find him again when it's time."

Together they pushed the dirt over the clothes and smoothed it with their hands. William waited, while Agatha silently said her goodbys. After a few seconds, she looked at William. He helped her up. She stood, slowly stepping and turning around; memorizing the location.

Then she noticed William's eyes were locked on something over her shoulder. There, standing a little way off was the young woman from the cage.

"Glad you made it." The young woman said, as she walked up to them. "Sorry I couldn't stick around. I tried to lead the Mutants away, but they didn't go for it."

"That was clever," William said. "waiting till they untied our feet."

"It was the best chance to save at least one of you." She answered.

"This is Agatha." He said. "My name is William. What's yours?"

"They call me Ice."

"Just Ice?"

"Good a name as any. I went by a different name, years ago, but this one stuck."

Agatha looked at Ice but said nothing.

William's eyes shifted between the two women, and he sensed there was some unspoken recognition.

The woman looked at his jumpsuit, and she seemed to be thinking; then she turned his shoulder to look at the number on the back.

"Welcome to the real world William." She said. "I guess I owe you thanks for getting that bobby pin to me or who knows what the Mutant's would have done to us."

"They said they were taking us somewhere. What for?" He asked.

"I don't know." She answered. "Nobody knows what they do with most of the hostages; some of them disappear. Rumor has it, the mutants used to be hostages themselves. A fate worse than death, if it's true."

"Are they following you?" Asked Ice.

"I don't think so," said William. "they might be dead."

"Good," said Ice. "we should get going. We shouldn't stay out here for long without guns. My camp is that way. I got caught by the Mutants when I was...gathering supplies."

William noticed Agatha looked at him when Ice said this. Ice started leading them further in the direction they were headed.

"So what's your story?" Asked Ice. "I've seen that number on your jumpsuit on a vault door. Is it open to the public now?"

William told his story as much to Agatha, as to Ice, as he wasn't sure how much Agatha had heard the first time.

"How did you know about the vault?" Asked William.

"I was there once with some friends." Said Ice. "A couple guys went in to scout its potential. One came back, but he was delusional and talking like an idiot. We never saw the other one again. It took hours before he snapped out of it; it was pretty obvious there was something in the air down there. He told us pretty much what you just did. There seemed to be..." Ice paused, and then continued, "There seemed to be a lot of supplies, but no way to get to them. We thought about a place where we could get some oxygen tanks and masks; it's a town called Old Oldney. It has a Fire Department, or at least what's left of one. It's another tough place to get into. We were on our way there, when the Mutants found us. Both of the guys got shot, one died; he was the first to get eaten." Ice turned to look at William and said, "When it was obvious Tank wasn't going to survive, they butchered him next. Along the way I could hear them talking about German Town and a Vault 87; it was the one that called it the birthplace.

"If you get those breathing masks," William said. "you're going to need someone to lead you around down there."

"That's what I was thinking." Said Ice. "We'll have to get some help before we go to Old Oldney."

Agatha tightened her grip on Williams arm.

"It sounds like a long journey." He said. "I think Agatha will need to rest a lot."

Ice kept walking, but William could tell she was debating something.

"We're not far from my home." Said Agatha. "If you take me there, you can rest and eat before you go on your way."

This seemed to satisfy Ice who replied, "Lead the way."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Before long, the trio was walking across a footbridge to Agatha's house. She retrieved a key from a hiding place in the rocks and unlocked the door.

Ice stepped in front of William and followed Agatha inside.

"Make yourselves comfortable," said Agatha. "while I find something for you to eat." She noticed, Ice was examining everything.

William noticed the uncomfortable silence, as Agatha opened the fridge and rummaged around.

Instead of food, Agatha withdrew a large scoped pistol, cocked it, and pointed it at Ice.

"Now take it easy," said Ice. "I thought we had a deal."

William looked at the two, and stepped to Agatha's side.

"Don't let the Wastelander clothes fool you, she's a Raider;" Said Agatha. "spotted it right off. She would just as soon kill you as look at you."

"Oh I don't know," said Ice. "he could prove useful. I was telling you the truth about the gas masks; and you were right when you said I needed you as a guide. It would be stupid not to team up. You need us, as much as we need you."

"You can't trust them." Warned Agatha

"I don't have a choice;" Said William. "I have to go back."

"What about her?" William asked Ice, as he nodded towards Agatha.

"There's nothing here I'm interested in," said Ice. "but that vault, could set me and my boys up for life. It's a fortress full of supplies."

"So," said Ice. "are you still good for that food and rest deal before we go?"

Agatha looked at William, and he shook his head in agreement.

"Don't take your eyes off her," said Agatha. "and don't hesitate to shoot if she does anything. I'll make something to eat, but you'll have to go after that. I won't sleep with her in here."

"Fair enough;" Said Ice. "wouldn't want you getting too attached to me or anything."

Ice spotted a bucket of water and poured it into the sink to wash. She unabashedly stripped looking over her shoulder at William, and began to bathe. She turned forward, with her back to William, and said, "Interesting."

"What's interesting?" William asked.

"You didn't shy away when I undressed."

"So? What are you implying?" William asked.

"Nothing yet, seems odd for a _civilized_ vault dweller to look on, without so much as a blink." Said Ice. "Same lack of reaction as when she called me a Raider."

William said, "Yeah, I knew something was up with you."

"That's not the point," said Ice. "Point is, if you spent your life locked up in a vault, how did you know what a Raider was?"

William paused and turned his head as he thought; Ice looked at him for his reaction, and Agatha stepped away from the fridge and listened for the answer.

"Well;" said William. "I probably saw a file about the Wastes in the vault."

"Maybe," said Ice. "I've heard when people wander out of a vault, they are practically babies; they don't know anything. Most of them die in days, some by walking right into a raider camp."

"You see a lot for a Raider;" said Agatha. "never heard of one who speaks like you, most are drug-crazed brutes. How did you come to be dressed like a Wastelander anyway?"

Ice looked at Agatha and answered, "Sometimes it's easier to blend in when scouting, or trading for supplies with a village; besides, sometimes you run into Outcasts and they always carry heavy."

"Okay, the clothes make sense," said Agatha. "What about the other part? You seem a little too smart."

"First rule of survival," Said Ice, "Blend in. To you, I was supposed to be a Wastelander, hardly the time to behave like a brute."

Ice started getting dressed and said to William, "You better remember that when we get to my camp; they think of me as one of them, don't ruin that or we could both get gutted."

"Your turn," said Ice, throwing the wash cloth to William. "you'll want to get that Mutant smell off of yourself. I'll sit over here on the bed and be a good girl."

After dinner, Ice looked out the door and looked at the sky.

"It's almost dark." She said. "Most creatures are less active when the sun goes down, the wind calms, so less chance of scent giving you away. We can make for the camp and get supplies.

"Well," said Ice to Agatha. "I wish I could say it's been fun."

She opened her arms to Agatha, tipped her head to the side, and coyly asked, "Hug?"

"Haven't decided on you yet." Said Agatha.

"What about the pistol?" Ice asked. "You don't want little Bill here to be wandering around out there without a weapon do you?"

"Way ahead of you," said Agatha. "it's Wednesday."

Agatha picked up a satchel and followed them outside. There waiting across the bridge was a traveling vendor. Agatha purchased a baseball bat for Ice and a loaded pistol for William.

"A little light for my tastes," said Ice. "I don't suppose I could get something with a little more kick?"

"You'll be just fine." Said Agatha. "It'll help keep you on your toes."

"You come back and see me when you're done." Agatha said to William. "You and your family are welcome here."

"Just stick to your deal," said Agatha. "and don't kill him."

"Oh I will definitely keep him close." Said Ice. Then she dropped the smile and said to William, "If we get attacked, don't use up all the ammo; I don't want to pry an empty gun out of your dead hands."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

On the journey to Ice's camp, William asked; "So, you're not the leader of your Raiders?"

"I'm cleaver enough not to be the leader, why? You starting to doubt me already?"

"I just want to know if you have enough clout to stop them from killing me when we get there."

"If you insist on talking keep it quiet," said Ice. "and yes, they'll listen to me. Glen's in charge. You might say he's my man. They think I'm lucky, not smart, and I let them think it. Better to be a lucky charm then someone to topple."

"Your turn;" said Ice. "what's the layout of the vault?"

William decided not to tell everything, including the fact that he didn't know everything. A lot of it was just a blur.

"Beyond the blast door is a ventilation room, but the controls aren't in there. Further in there is a security room and stairs that lead into the computer areas. The controls are probably there."

"Probably? Don't you know?"

"Those weren't my duties, but the computers have to be what controls the whole place including the ventilation. I'm pretty confident I can get it going."

"From your description," said Ice. "there would have to be a significant age gap between you and his sister; your old enough to be working as one of my boys. What did you say your Mom's name was?"

"I..." William paused. "I can't remember; it's probably the gas, it screwed my head up."

"My family and friends are down there in that vault." William said. "I know I can't get them all out, but if you want my help, my family is the price. I want them alive. Can you give me your word on that?"

"Didn't you hear old Agatha," Answered Ice. "I'm a Raider, you can't trust me."

"I don't think you're the cold blooded killer she thinks you are." He said. "If you tell me you won't kill them, I'll believe you."

Ice walked a while then replied, "I won't kill them, but I can't speak for the boys, and I don't control them. That's as good as it will get."

"I trust you."

They walked a while in silence.

"It's been a long time since I've heard those words." Ice said. "The last time was from my sister, when I promised I would find her. The last time I saw her, she was an indentured servant, being taken away, by the people who bought her."

"You were separated by Slavers." He said. "Did you ever hear what happened to her. Did her name turn up?"

"If I find her it will be by her nick-name; Rocksalt." She said. "When we were captured I told her we should use our nick-names. It would be easier to track each other than with our common given names."

"Unusual nick-names," he said. "did you pick them?"

"No, that was Nan." She said, "Nan raised us after our parents died. She used to call us Ice and Rocksalt. she said we were two of the rarest ingredients needed to make something sweet; ice cream. We did love Nan's ice cream."

"And your Nan?" He asked.

"Gone; she tried to save us during the slaver raid. I take a special pleasure in killing them now. We don't make a habit of it; as far as they know some of their crew disappears once in a while. One of the perks of being a Raider. It's also where we get half our guns from. The rest of the stuff we trade or sell. I won't wear their gear or armor; even I have my standards."

They walked a bit further and Williams asked, "I'm curious, did Agatha remind you of your Nan; Is that why you asked for the hug?"

"Please, what I was doing was making a point." Said Ice. "She can't see beyond the surface; to her I'm one dimensional. It's guilt by association. I knew she wouldn't hug me; I was just proving I knew her better than she knew me."

"You were proving it to yourself? Why bother?" He asked, still not believing her.

"Part of me thought she might prove me wrong, maybe believe in me."

Ice paused, remembering her Nan, then added. "I do admire Agatha though; that tough old gal's got balls."

They made their way to an old ranch, in the high hills near a communications tower, and approached a fenced path

"Stay close behind me," said Ice. "and let me do the talking. The others know their place and will follow Glen's lead."

At the top of the hill, near a dilapidated house, she called out, "Glen! It's Ice. Hold your fire, I've got someone with me."

William watched as Raiders emerged from behind rocks, and from just over the edge of the hill.

"You take a vacation?" One of them called back. "We've been out looking for you for days. Who is that with you?"

The other members came in and surrounded William, standing uncomfortably close.

Ice said, "Boys, let me introduce our new bank key. He is going to unlock the secrets of that vault we've been trying to crack."

Ice introduced her crew to William, "This is Glen, he's the brains and the brawn to this shitty smelling group."

They laughed but continued to eye William, one of them smelling him.

She pointed to a large man to her right and announced in a heavy German accent, "Zees ez Helmoot, so called because of that large cranium." she rubbed his big head and he laughed."

The small skinny one she turned her attention to, seemed to cower, and averted his eyes, as she addressed him.

"This one," she said. "is Wire our engineer."

He seemed to perk up, and smiled at the name.

"Oh wait," She continued. "that's not right. Wasn't there another name?"

His look of shame returned, as she spoke.

"Oh that's right," She said, "it's Cuddles now, isn't it?"

The rest of the crew burst into laughter.

"So named because of," she paused. "what was it? Oh yes, so named due to his affinity for Teddy Bears."

"Screw you!" Cuddles yelled back. "I told you I was saving it for a girl. How long are you going to keep this up?"

"There's no escaping it Cuddles," said Helmoot. "some things just can't be unseen. Besides, if it was for a girl, why were you sleeping with it?"

"I wanted it to smell like me before I gave it to her." He implored.

"Good plan" Helmoot said, "Burn out her nose before you get too close to her."

Cuddles' eyes darted around the group, trying to find an out. Then he asked, "So where the Hell did you wander off to and where's the other guys at?"

"The other guys are dead." She answered. The group stopped laughing. After it sunk in, she told them the events of the last four days.

William noted that she omitted the part about Agatha, and her home. He thought, _She's keeping her word_.

She explained the idea of trying to scavenge breathing equipment from the Old Oldney Fire Department. Everyone got quiet again.

"Who the Hell's idea was that?" Glen asked, looking at William, "Is he trying to get us all killed?"

"It was Tank's idea." she said, "He said he knew of a crew who saw the Fire Department in the town."

"Tank and I were part of that crew." Said Glen. "Did he tell you that? We were the only two left. They all got slaughtered by Deathclaws. We thought we could sneak in. The rifles and pistols didn't even slow them down. The guys in the wall never made it out."

"But we have the explosives." Ice replied. "We've been saving them up for a big score; this is it. We lay a mine field, and draw them out one at a time. Once we have one end of the town clear, we break into the building."

They sat thinking about it.

Over by the fire, Cuddles asked, "How about a new name? What do you think of Nuke? Nuke sounds cool."

"How about Sugar Bombs," Helmoot retorts. "for those nuclear farts you blow?"

The group laughs at Cuddles, as he broods, and goes back to poking the fire with a stick.

"Cuddles," Glen calls, "Pack up the weapons, all the big stuff, and missile launcher too. Helmoot, get the gear ready, Stimpacs, Med Kits, the lot. He looked at Ice, "If you're right about the score, we can toss the rest of this crap; the vault will be out new home. We'll rest up tonight, and set out in the morning. I want to see what I'm fighting this time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

In the cool morning air, collected light from the sniper scope illuminated the blue of Glen's right eye. The rifle itself was in too poor a condition to be reliable at this distance but would still be useful within 50 yards or less. The flattened image of a Deathclaw paced back and forth near the exterior wall of Old Oldney's Fire Station. Glen had a commanding position overlooking the town from the collapsed highway.

Each time it would turn to patrol towards the corner of the building, Glen would raise his fist into the air. As he did, the crew below would crouch near the opposite wall around the corner. At that distance, they didn't need to see Glen's warning, they could hear the Deathclaw's talons clicking on the parking lot pavement.

When Glen's arm dropped, Ice and Cuddles moved forward in a crouch and placed another pair of mines, expanding the mine field. So far, the wind was in their favor, but they needed to complete this part of the plan quickly. These mines would create a safe zone to separate them from the Deathclaw outside if they had to retreat. Also, if it heard the fight inside, it would run into the minefield and die before it could trap them.

With the outside mines in place, they moved to the hole in a collapsed building wall, and waited for Glen's signal. Their earlier reconnaissance had found two Deathclaws near the Fire Station, one on the outside at the East wall, and one on the inside near the wooden fence along the south side of the town. If they were lucky, no others would be close enough to hear the explosions when the festivities started.

Deathclaws are tough. It could take two, maybe three landmines or grenades to drop just one of them. Grenades were no good unless you could drop them right at their feet. Mines were better but they only had a couple left after laying the minefield, so they were going to have to be accurate with the grenades inside. For this, Cuddles had a special trick; the drugs hadn't yet completely destroyed the creative and cleaver part of his mind.

The team below did a last check of their weapons. It was then that Cuddles and Helmoot shared a last Jet they had been saving. Cuddles grimaced and drew in a deep breath through his teeth, and then he and Helmoot grabbed each other by the armor and smacked their heads together, as Helmoot said, "Let's get some meat!"

"Must be a dude thing." Said Ice, shaking her head.

Glen's scope stopped on the Deathclaw inside, where it stood motionless near a wooden fence. _Had it picked up their scent_? He scoped the streets further north; nothing. Glen held his arm up and bent it 90 degrees. The team disappeared rank-file into the damaged building leading to the interior town beyond. Glen returned to scanning the streets to the north.

Ice was picking her way through the rubble of the building, scanning ahead with her combat shotgun. Cuddles followed behind with a 10mm sub-machine gun hanging around his neck on a sling; in his hands he held a grenade bouquet, with another in his pack. He had assembled two sets of them the night before. The bouquets were booby-traps, consisting of three grenades, tied together on long, thin lines, that normally hung above a trip wire.

William only had his 10mm pistol. Under the circumstances, Glen let him keep it. It wouldn't help apart from drawing a Deathclaw away from the others if things went to hell. Helmoot took up the rear, and was also armed with a combat shotgun; the missile launcher, with its single round, was slung over his shoulder.

Ice stepped up to the interior broken wall, and peered around the corner. She could see the Deathclaw near the wooden fence. She looked down, and nodded to Cuddles, who pulled the second bouquet from his pack, and draped it around his neck. Then he readied the first, holding the lines of the grenade bouquet in his right hand, and grabbed the pins with his left. Cuddles nodded back.

Ice quietly stepped out into the street, in a low crouch, as she worked her way to a doorway on the opposite side of the street; Cuddles followed close behind. Helmoot put his hand on William's shoulder and stepped past him, to take up position behind the debris of the collapsed building.

Cuddles separated from Ice, and started towards the Deathclaw, as he pulled the pins and began swinging the bouquet over his head, as he had practiced and perfected long ago. The Deathclaw heard the pin retainers clatter to the street, and turned towards them. It crouched and spread its claws, as it looked up at the object flying through the air. The Deathclaw blinked, and moved its head to the side, but the tethered bomb wrapped itself around the creature's large, leg like a snake. It looked at the dangling object, then turned its attention to Cuddles. Everyone ducked for cover, except Cuddles, he invented this and he loved watching the spectacle. The Deathclaw took one step and was blasted five feet into the air. The percussion of the blast blew past cuddles as the creature smacked back down to the ground; blood spraying out in torrents. It thrashed a couple times then went unconscious from the drop in blood pressure.

Cuddles fist-pumped and said, "Yeah Bitch!" Then he coughed, and saw a mist of red droplets appear in front of him. He looked down at his chest, as Ice ran up to him.

"You idiot, I told you to stop doing that!" Then she saw the growing red pattern on his shirt that he was looking at.

Through the scope, Glen saw the Deathclaw drop as planned, and turned his attention to the Deathclaw outside. It had heard the explosion and was pacing north, away from the mines, not towards them. He then saw movement to the north, and refocused there. A third Deathclaw; it had heard the explosion too and was making its way south to investigate. Glen shouldered his rifle and pack, and sprinted down the hill towards the minefield, thinking; "_The plan is going to Hell_."

Inside, Ice grabbed Cuddles as his knees went weak. Helmoot and William ran up to see if he was hit.

"Take the corner." Ice said to Helmoot who veered off and headed there, shotgun in hand, and missile launcher bouncing on his back.

"The Firehouse!" she said to William, "We need to get him off the street."

William grabbed Cuddles right arm and they carried him past the corner, where Helmoot was already shouldering the missile launcher.

Just as they ran past Helmoot, the missile left the launcher, tracking smoke towards another Deathclaw, at the far end of the town. It was headed towards them at a full run. They kept running, and watching the missile as time seemed to slow to a crawl. Two pair of leather boots floated in slow steps; a third pair dragged along between them, as the trail of smoke angled towards the ground, in front of the rippling mass of flesh and claws intent on killing them. The effects of the missile were immediate, and brought time back to a fast pace. The Deathclaw disappeared as the rolling fireball enveloped half the street. For a second in their minds, it was dead; then it reappeared through the flames, half-stumbling, half-running, as it fell and slid across the pavement.

Ice had seen enough, she looked forward and they headed to the large fire station doors. They didn't budge. Ice frantically shoved the men in the direction of a front door, it too was locked. She dropped Cuddles weight on William, and blasted two shots from the combat shotgun, but the chained door held.

"Hurry the hell up over there," yelled Helmoot, "it's starting to move!"

Outside, Gary had reached the corner, just as the diminishing hiss of a missile was followed by an explosion. He shouldered his sniper rifle, and aimed center mass at the now distant Deathclaw. The round tore into an upper leg as the ejected casing, clattered across the ground with smoke still swirling from the hot casing. The Deathclaw turned and bounded towards him. Gary stepped slowly back and into the minefield as the rifle recoiled into his shoulder again, this time leaving his ears ringing. The round found its mark in a lower leg, but had little effect. Gary stepped back around the corner and ran towards the broken wall. He grabbed the edge of the broken brick hole and looked back, the Deathclaw slid as it tried to negotiate the turn on a run. It slid past the mine field, but caught one on the outer edge and the blast tore at its leg and upper body as it slid past. Gary headed inside.

"Shit! Back outside." Ice yelled to William. They turned and started dragging Cuddles over the rubble towards the crumbled building, just as they heard an explosion outside. As they neared the building, Glen rounded the corner.

"Go back," Glen yelled. "it missed the mine field."

With no cover in the collapsed building, and no chance to exit, they sat Cuddles down. Blood was now freely flowing from his mouth, and the bubbling hole in his chest. Ice, William, and Glen ran back to the corner to join Helmoot; creating a wall between the reviving Deathclaw and Cuddles. Helmoot saw the situation and opened up; peppering the creature and the debris pile it was rising up from behind. The others spread across the street; running and gunning. It was back on its feet again, covered with bleeding pock marks, and some charred, dangling flesh, but it was far from dead. It ran straight at Helmoot, who dodged around the corner. The Deathclaw slid past, clawing bricks loose, which tumbled to the ground with a dry, clinking sound. The shooting stopped as it everyone found themselves in the line of fire, and began to scramble out of the way. The little traction it gained from clawing the building flung the creature around the corner where it saw Cuddles crawling backwards away from it, and leaving a blood trail. Without slowing it continued it momentum towards him. The team tried to shoot high but it had little effect as they heard Cuddles empty his sub-machine gun.

"Come to Papa baby! I got cuddles for ya!" They heard Cuddles rasp out.

"Get down!" Glen yelled, just as the Deathclaw and Cuddles were consumed by the grenade bouquet Cuddles was clutching to his chest.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Helmoot was the closest, and ran to where Cuddles had been. He looked up at the others shaking his head, "Wire's gone; well his boots are still here, but he's gone."

Glen looked around them picked up a piece of the submachine gun; it was scrap. He tossed it onto the Deathclaw carcass and said, "Let's see if we can get into that place before more of them show up."

Helmoot picked up the rocket launcher and rejoined the others. The doors were solid. Ice peered through a new hole in the wooden fence where the Deathclaw had been. Your pet is down the hill looking for you. She looked up the wall. There was an open window above one of the four truck bays.

"Helmoot, come give me a hand." she said.

Helmoot and Ice knelt, and held the rocket launcher between them; she looked at Glen, "Think you can reach the ledge?"

Glen steadied himself against the wall and stepped onto the weapon. William helped lift him up the side of the building. The window was well out of reach; they lowered him back down.

"There were rows of 2nd story windows in the back," said Glen, "and a couple of dumpsters. Let's try to get there before the Deathclaw comes back."

They hustled back out through the hole in the building wall, crouching and keeping an eye on the Deathclaw below among the ruined houses. They left the land mines where they were in case it came back. At the back of the building, they climbed onto the dumpsters and used the missile launcher again. It was just beyond his reach. Glen dismounted his sniper rifle and hooked the pistol grip onto the window ledge. He slowly put weight on the gun; it held. He pulled himself up the side of the building, throwing an arm over the window sill, and hoisted himself up. He peered inside before he clambered in.

Above the crew, Glen looked out the window in the direction of the ruined village but couldn't see any immediate danger.

"Keep an eye out for that Deathclaw," Glen said. "I'll be right back."

They saw him disappear as his footsteps ran off inside.

"You've gotta be shittin' me." Helmoot said to Ice, just as a fire hose unfurled and bounced off his head.

With everyone inside, they checked out the second floor. Beams of light, from the dilapidated roof, lit a faint cloud of dust they had stirred up. They carefully walked across the old floor, avoiding gaps where the rain had rotted through to lower levels.

"In here," said Ice. The others walked into the mob bay of beds, where all but one were vacant. There was a skeleton in the bed surrounded by packs, supplies. A grappling hook and rope lay nearby on the floor.

William picked up a journal off the table and flipped through the pages, then handed it to Ice.

"He was a vendor." She said, and flipped to the last entry. "He got trapped and sick; I guess help never came."

Glen looked through his clothes on a chair and found a large diagram. He opened it, showed it to Ice, and then put it in his shirt. They checked his bags and found some useful supplies including cans of food and some water. Against the wall were two assault rifles, and boxes of ammo in the vendor's bags.

They stood looking at the vendor for several seconds without saying anything then turned to search the rest of the building. They walked down the stairs and found a kitchen, showers, toilets, storage, and a maintenance room. It had several oxygen tanks, masks, spare valves and other equipment.

Glen picked up a valve and looked at it, then dropped it back onto the workbench. He said to Helmoot, "Have a look at this crap and see if we wasted our time."

"It would have been handy to have Wire around for this; " Helmoot said. "I'll do what I can."

William was looking at the only remaining truck still in its stall. The wax had curled up like a dry lake bed, revealing the oxidation of the red paint underneath. It sat on tires that looked more like cactus plants with all their frayed split treads, and rusted metal strands. He saw Ice walk in.

"Can you give me a hand with this?" He said. He walked over to a ladder on the side of the truck.

They lifted it off the hooks and William led them upstairs to the upper windows. They tested the locks as they extended it on the floor.

"It'll be a lot easier than that grappling hook." Ice said. "Let's check on Helmoot."

"Is anything salvageable Helmoot?" Ice asked.

"There's a pump here." He said. "I'm trying to clamp a crank off the truck's siren to the pulley. If it works, we can try filling the tanks. There was a complete setup for a mask in the stack. I'll assemble some more the same way."

"Sounds like a plan; good job." Ice said. "I'll see if I can scrape some food together. Can you give me a hand William?"

"Sure, I hope we're having canned food, I don't want to know what Deathclaw tastes like."

"Nobody eats Deathclaw. Molerat you can choke down, but Deathclaw tries to eat its way back out. Unless you're packing a big supply of bog roll, you should avoid it."

They sat on the beds after eating, thinking about the next day's journey. Hopefully it would be a better day. They had lost Wire, but they felt locked on a course they had to see through. There had been too much scraping by, too little food, too many endless battles. In a matter of a week, they were down to half their number. They needed a big score, before the Wastes whittled them down to nothing.

As daylight broke, the ladder eased out of the window. In a few minutes they had the supplies down and the ladder stashed. Never know when a good hiding place might come in handy.

Packing the heavy gear was no easy task. Everyone packed their own gear including a fireman's suit. William had to sell them on the suits, explaining the gas may work on your skin too. They had to leave their armor and use the Wastelander clothes they kept as backup. The armor was just another 15 pounds on top of the gear, guns, and bullets.

The sun had been up about 20 minutes and they had made it halfway across the valley towards the Scrapyard. That's when they saw it.

"We've got company!" Helmoot said from the rear. They turned and looked back and saw the Deathclaw some distance back. It had picked up their scent, and it was limping in their direction.

"The rest of you keep moving;" Glen said. "Helmoot, give me those mines and give Ice some backup, keep that guy alive. I'll catch up."

Helmoot picked up both sets of gear and headed off, as Glen rearmed the mines. He crouched and chambered a round in his sniper rifle. He watched it sniffing as it approached, scanning ahead. What they lacked in vision, they made up for in a sense of smell. When the others were far enough away Glen stood and the Deathclaw stopped. It still smelled the air and Glen was upwind this time. But it stepped forward slowly still sniffing.

"Come on you Bastard! Hey! I'm right here!" Glen yelled.

The Deathclaw started side-stepping until it couldn't smell the explosives anymore, and then it started moving forward again.

"Smart Bastard." Glen said. He stepped sideways, keeping the minefield between them. He shouldered the sniper rifle and aimed at the wounded thigh. The round tore into its flesh and it roared. It started moving towards him again, but was picking its way around the mines. Glen pulled the trigger again, but it clicked. He recharged the rifle, three more times as he backed away but it was pointless. Something had given out; the firing pin, the sear, maybe the hammer. He was holding 10 pounds of dead weight. He threw the rifle at the mine field but it fell short. He backed away faster but kept within its visual range. It limped after him, leaving the useless mines behind it.

The others looked back. Far off in the distance, Glen led the Deathclaw further south, towards the rocky hills. Helmoot dropped the gear and charged his rifle.

"No," Said Ice. "He's leading it away from us, we have to get to the vault or Wire died for nothing. Glen knows it can't climb the rock face. He'll catch up. Let's get going."

They headed out again, looking over their shoulders but soon the Deathclaw and Glen were out of sight.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ice crawled back down from the ridge overlooking the Raider compound; the two men were still keeping watch near the dead body of a Mole Rat on the road.

"Looks like a battle took place," said Ice. "I don't see any movement at Charnel House. Whatever killed this thing, took on the Raider clan too. I could make out three bodies, there's probably more."

"Let's do a sweep." she said to Helmoot.

"You keep an eye on the road and the equipment." she said to William. "If you see anything, come running."

Ice and Helmoot worked their way up the ridge to high ground, then disappeared over the ridge. William crept up the ridge to be able to see in both directions. He occasionally scanned down the road, but mostly, he watched Ice and Helmoot's progress. They took turns moving from cover to cover, one moving, the other panning a shotgun from a secure fire-point. They made their way from body to body near an overpass, then worked their way up to the house. Soon they were walking back with shotguns slung and talking as they peered up into the ravine leading to vault 106. Ice motioned to William to stay put and they checked the vault area next. Soon they were back gathering the heavy equipment.

"The Charnel clan are all dead and stripped." said Ice. "Whoever killed them took all their gear. No great loss to us, they were always scouting into our territory to steal shit that wasn't theirs. Looks like whoever did it is gone. The entrance to the vault looks clear; lets get this stuff over there."

The three set up camp up the ravine and away from the road. Ice kept scanning the horizon. Helmoot and William joined her.

"He should have been here by now." said Helmoot.

"I know." said Ice, "We'll stay here tonight, and give him till morning, then we'll head in."

Helmoot walked back to the gear and William said. "Want to take a break? I'll keep watch."

"No, I'm good." Ice answered.

"You said he was your man. Do you think we should stash the gear and go look for him?"

"I said, 'You might say, he's my man'. Nothing to do now but wait."

"Alright then. I'll go ask Helmoot to help me carve up some of that Mole Rat, before he suggests any of the other meat down there."

In the morning, the three were dressed in the firemen gear; it was clear Glen wasn't coming. Ice circled both men, checking the duct tape around the joints in the suits and the straps to their oxygen tanks. She connected the oxygen hoses to the masks and turned on the valve, as a hiss of pressure filled the hose up to the regulator. The two men put on the masks and helmets and picked up their rifles.

"You've got an hour, before I come looking for you." Ice said. "If you're not back by then, I'm coming in to drag you out, so don't blast my ass. If our friends come back, I'll keep them away from the blast door controls."

"Helmoot," she said. "remember what I said about women and kids."

The men nodded and entered the wooden door leading down the tunnel. Ice watched them disappear into the darkness, then closed the door and took up a position overlooking the ravine. She broke off a stick to about a foot in length and stuck it into the ground. Then she smoothed a circular area around the upright stick and traced the line of the stick's shadow. She made another small line a few centimeters away and looked up towards the sun, shielding her eyes.

Inside, William was leading the way. The light was dim, so they progressed slowly until their night vision kicked in. They were past the blast door, and stalking down the hallway towards the security station. All the doors had been left open. Both men zig-zagged with assault rifles at the ready. They made little sound as they advanced, but there was no silencing the steady hiss of the regulator; it seemed to thunder in their ears.

"I want my family alive," William said to Helmoot, as he looked back. "don't kill them."

"As long as they don't make me." Helmoot answered with a shrug.

William recognized the security room, and peered in the open door. Apart from two skeletons, the room appeared empty.

A memory of the room flickered in William's mind as clean and undamaged, as his arms were opening the locker on the opposite wall. He stopped and stood up straight as he took a slow breath listening for possible air leaks around his mask. He couldn't be sure with the regulator hissing. He looked at Helmoot and pointed to the gauge over his shoulder. Helmoot looked at it and gave him 'thumbs up'.

William shook his head and walked over to the locker and opened it. There inside was a set of armor. He looked at it for a few seconds and Helmoot tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for them to keep moving.

They headed down the stairs and around a corner. Then William held up a fist and crouched for a better look. He stepped further down the steps with Helmoot peering in behind him. They looked down the hall and listened, then approached the body on the floor. It was stripped like the raiders outside. Helmoot tapped the dead body's head with a boot, pointing out the haircut to William.

"Mohawk." Helmoot said. "That's no Wastelander. Stripped just like the Charnel crew; somebody beat us here."

A chill ran up Williams back, and he thought, "Am I too late?"

William walked over the the glow of a terminal on a desk, it was unlocked, and a menu was displayed. William clicked through the menu selections under utilities. He found a ventilation option and selected it, but it read, "Offline."

"Great, looks like something is broken; maybe they did it on purpose." William said.

William waited for an answer from Helmoot and didn't get one. He looked up into the lit breathing mask and Helmoot was looking down the hall and already stepping around him with his rifle shouldered again. William stepped into the zigzag pattern again, taking Helmoot's lead. Helmoot cleared a couple rooms then turned to William.

"We were being watched," said Helmoot, holding up three fingers. "I saw them dart down this way. Keep your eyes open."

William stepped back up front and continued the descent until they came to a door at the bottom of the steps. William peered into the darkness. He was getting ready to step in, when Helmoot's shotgun blast echoed in the small chamber. William pushed Helmoot back, and swept the room, but the bodies were already on the floor. He stepped up to three stripped bodies, all men. He looked across the room to the open doors and stepped backwards to Helmoot.

"What did you see?" Asked William. Again no answer. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Helmoot standing straight up, and staring straight ahead.

"Helmoot?"

William tapped Helmoot on the shoulder, and Helmoot slowly looked down at him.

"Can you feel it?" Asked Helmoot.

"Feel what?" Asked William, his eyes growing large.

"It's warm...it's all around us; it's...it's love." Helmoot smiled with sleepy eyes.

William stood staring at Helmoot, who closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"Helmoot, I'm going to check your gauge okay?" said William, edging around Helmoot. As he got nearer, he could hear a low hiss. The hose leading to the mask was cracked.

"Helmoot," said William, taking the assault rifle. "We need to head back up. Let me carry that for you."

"Head back up? No, no man; we need to go deeper."

"Ice will be waiting for us," William said, gently grabbing Helmoot's forearm. "we should go get her. She'll want to feel it too."

"No man," Helmoot said, stepping away from Williams grip. "you go get her."

William slung the extra weapon, and glanced at the other rooms, which appeared clear. There was no sign of his family. He didn't know how long he had before Helmoot switched to violent. He watched, as Helmoot wandered away talking to himself. William had a bad feeling, but he left him there and headed off to the Living Quarters; the Women's Quarters. He stepped over more stripped bodies, all men; clearing rooms as he went.

He had another flashback of his arms putting the armor in the locker and closing the door.

He was at a full run now, breathing hard, and starting to sweat; his heavy footsteps echoed into the dark tunnels beyond. The scene before him, unveiling as a faintly-lit semi-circle of stained concrete walls, peeling paint, and scattered debris.

He reached the Women's Quarters, and stepped through the debris and decay of antiquity. He lowered his gun and looked around him. He listened but all he heard was the hiss of his regulator. He calmed himself and closed his eyes.

In his mind, he saw Bethany running ahead of him through the corridors. She was looking back at him. There was terror in her eyes, but she was looking _at_ him. The corridors transformed into the walls of a ruined building. He could hear the pop of muted gun fire from the settlement outside, as an echoing voice said, "Run Bethany, run!"

William opened his eyes.

"They were never here." He said to himself.

He thought of the armor in the locker, it was his. Bethany wasn't his sister, it was why he couldn't remember his Mom's name. They were running from him. He was a slaver. He remembered the caps the slaves brought, and how he spent it all on long sessions of drugs and booze, trying to push all those faces out of his memory. Tears began to flow down his cheeks.

"No, I don't want to remember." He said, but the images flooded back to him. The terrified children; the hopelessness in the eyes of their mothers knowing what awaited them. Then the image of Bethany and her mother being led away in chains at Paradise Falls. He dropped the rifle and fell to his knees, his mask keeping him from covering his face with his hands. He sobbed; all the guilt, all the pain of the outside world was coming back to seek it's revenge on a cruel, wasted life.

"No; no, no, no; No!"

He thought of the chemicals in the air all around him. He tightened his grip on the mask and thought, "Just take it off. It will all go away. You can be with them forever." William could feel the hot tears, stinging his skin, and pooling around his chin. He remembered the tears in Bethany's eyes as she was led away.

Then he opened his eyes, and his sobbing subsided. He let go of the mask and stood. He stood staring; stood thinking; stood wondering.

He picked up his rifle and turned to walk back, and find Helmoot.

_'He had to get him out while there was still time.'_ He thought.

"_Even if I have to knock him unconscious!_" He thought, as he began to run.

As william headed up the stairs, He heard an explosion. It reverberated through the facility with a fading echo; the percussion made his ears pop and ache. He yanked his rifle up and began sweeping his way to where he left Helmoot.

William saw smoke floating in the air. It was drifting in thick curls from one of the rooms.

In his mind, this room flashed into his memory with a feeling of dread. He had known not to enter this room in the past. He peered in and saw Helmoot in the corner, his legs glistening with the blood that was pouring out of them.

"_Landmine_." He thought.

He carefully stepped over to Helmoot and checked him. He looked groggy, and appeared to be coming to, and wincing at the pain. William knew Helmoot would never leave, and he reached in his pocket and grabbed three Stimpaks. He injected them into Helmoot's thigh, then took off Helmoot's mask and helmet.

"Breath buddy, breath deep. Feel it; feel the love."

Helmoot breathed deep and seemed to relax, and he smiled.

William stayed with Helmoot and listened to him mumble to himself. Finally, Helmoot raised his arms out in front of him, and said something...a name. Then his arms slumped and he was gone.

William stood and looked at Helmoot for a few moments. He wondered who he had been. What had the Wastes done to him; to Wire; to all of them. He didn't even know their real names. Helmoot, would never have the chance to redeem himself; to find peace.

Then William turned and headed to the security office locker.

On the surface, he opened the wooden door and strained his eyes at the bright light of day. Ice was making his way down towards him. She was eying him suspiciously, noting the extra weapon slung over his shoulder.

"What was that explosion? Where's Helmoot?" she said, as she raised her shotgun.

"Landmine." He answered as he dropped the guns, and armor, and began taking his gear off.

"The place is empty...stripped." He Said, as he sat down on the ground. "The ventilation system is offline too. Don't think I can fix that."

Ice looked towards the wooden door and sat down. "Why am I not surprised?"

"There's more." Said William, "I realized what happened down there; to me, to everyone. This place is rusted out; ages old. There's no way any of the original vault dwellers have lived here for decades, maybe longer. This place, it's like it's alive or something. It lures you in and you never get back out. The promise of a sweet reward; caps, supplies, security...slaves."

He held up the metal armor for Ice to see, "I realized, I was a slaver."

She looked at the armor, and William could feel her tensing.

"What are you thinking?" He asked.

"I was thinking, 'What do you mean was?'"

"I mean, I can't go back to that life. This place if nothing else, squeezed the drugs and boozed out of me. Those memories of Bethany and her Mom, they saved me; they pulled me out of there, or I would be dead and stripped along with the others."

"What will you do now?" asked Ice, still scrutinizing him.

"Last time I saw them, they were at Paradise Falls. If I'm lucky, they're still there; if not, it's the best place to start looking."

"You think you can turn over a new leaf?" Asked Ice. "Just forget about the past, and try to save the people you sold into Hell? I found my slaver; slit him open..._real slow like_."

"I have to believe I can change. Otherwise, I never would have come back out."

Ice relaxed a little. "Well I suppose I want to believe you can change too; because if you can, maybe there's hope for me."

She looked at him, "Otherwise we might as well pull out the combat knives and dance."

"How about you?" He asked.

"Well; I've got family out there I need to find too. Seems I've suddenly found myself unencumbered and I can do as I please. I'll start looking for Rocksalt."

William thought of this and asked, "Was it really Tank's idea to go back to Old Oldney?"

Ice smiled, "Like I said, I let them think I'm lucky, not smart. Tank said he would never go back there, but only I knew that. All I had to do was appeal to Glen's sense of greed and power. Deathclaws did the rest."

Ice looked at William, who was staring at her.

"What are _you_ thinking?" She asked.

He tried to fathom the many layers of her mind, but it was a labyrinth.

Ice smiled coyly and asked, "Hug?"

**The End**

* * *

**Epilog**

The hot wind rustled the dry scrub brush on the ridge, as the midday sun created waves of heat on the plains. Ghostly, shimmering images danced on the horizon, and a small reflection of light twinkled from behind the vegetation up on the ridge. In the scoped .44, it was apparent the Deathclaw was wounded. The Lone Wanderer accessed VAT's on the Pip Boy 3000. The Deathclaw's leg on the side with the gore-filled gash was crippled. The leg was highlighted and selected. The Lone Wanderer's skin tingled under the Pip Boy with an electric charge. The wounded creature stalked, as it was tracked in the scope. When the image in the Lone Wanderer's brain, matched the selection on the electronic device, a spasm, sent the hammer slamming into the firing pin. The pistol erupted, with a report that echoed off the destroyed, overpass superstructure. The Deathclaw's leg snapped, driving the mortally wounded beast to the ground in a cloud of dust.

The Deathclaw, lie bleeding out; its black eyes reflected the figure walking over to examine the human it had killed earlier.

"Sorry I got here too late, Wastelander."

A folded page was sticking out of the victims shirt. It read, "Deathclaw Gauntlet Schematic." The only other item on the body was a bottle of pure water.

The water was guzzled down, with a welcome sigh, and the Lone Wanderer continued to read, "Medical brace, leather belt, super glue...and one Deathclaw hand."

The figure in the Deathclaw's eyes, flicked through menus on the Pip Boy; a sweet but lonely violin melody flowed into the air. Then the figure stood and approached, withdrawing a Combat knife.

* * *

**A/N:** This was developed as a back-story to one of the 80 mini-encounters in the game. Who was this person from the random encounter, who had the Deathclaw schematic? What was his story? It was an opportunity to create OC's and not rehash the game. Development of the two central characters provided the opportunity for a paradigm shift and change; something emphasized in a creative writing course I'm taking. So I let them live; besides, I like a complex villain.

If you liked the story, feel free to continue writing your own stories of their quests; just refer back to this one so people can see how it started. Thanks for reading, and if you "reviewed", thanks for taking the time. It matters.


End file.
